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After nine seasons with the Raiders, Tommy Kelly has found new life in New England.

The veteran defensive tackle was signed by the Patriots in April with hopes that he can help the team generate some pressure in the middle of the defense. Kelly said playing next to Vince Wilfork was a key reason for signing in New England, according to Patriots.com.

“You get to the end of your career, you get the opportunity to play with a real good team like New England — it came down to a couple teams — but I guess after talking with Coach [Bill] Belichick and then just the opportunity to play with Vince,” Kelly said on Patriots Today. “You wanna play with someone that can play. You know, you always watch people who play your position. I mean, he’s a real good player. A hell of a player.”

Kelly also said his teammate in Oakland, Richard Seymour, always spoke highly of his time in New England. He stressed that despite saying he’s nearing the end of his career, he still has a lot left in the tank.

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